The Connected Discourses of the Buddha
Page 95
29 (8) Delight
At Sāvatthī. “Bhikkhus, one who seeks delight in form seeks delight in suffering. One who seeks delight in suffering, I say, is not freed from suffering. One who seeks delight in feeling … in perception … in volitional formations … in consciousness seeks delight in suffering. One who seeks delight in suffering, I say, is not freed from suffering.
“One who does not seek delight in form … in consciousness does not seek delight in suffering. One who does not seek delight in suffering, I say, is freed from suffering.”
30 (9) Arising
At Sāvatthī. “Bhikkhus, the arising, continuation, production, [32] and manifestation of form is the arising of suffering, the continuation of disease, the manifestation of aging-and-death. The arising of feeling … of perception … of volitional formations … of consciousness is the arising of suffering, the continuation of disease, the manifestation of aging-and-death.
“The cessation, subsiding, and passing away of form … of consciousness is the cessation of suffering, the subsiding of disease, the passing away of aging-and-death.”
31 (10) The Root of Misery
At Sāvatthī. “Bhikkhus, I will teach you misery44 and the root of misery. Listen to that….
“And what, bhikkhus, is misery? Form is misery; feeling is misery; perception is misery; volitional formations are misery; consciousness is misery. This is called misery.
“And what, bhikkhus, is the root of misery? It is this craving that leads to renewed existence, accompanied by delight and lust, seeking delight here and there; that is, craving for sensual pleasures, craving for existence, craving for extermination. This is called the root of misery.”
32 (11) The Fragile
At Sāvatthī. “Bhikkhus, I will teach you the fragile45 and the unfragile. Listen to that….
“And what, bhikkhus, is the fragile, and what the unfragile? [33] Form is the fragile; its cessation, subsiding, passing away is the unfragile. Feeling is the fragile … Perception is the fragile …
Volitional formations are the fragile … Consciousness is the fragile; its cessation, subsiding, passing away is the unfragile.”
IV. NOT YOURS
33 (1) Not Yours (1)
At Sāvatthī. “Bhikkhus, whatever is not yours, abandon it. When you have abandoned it, that will lead to your welfare and happiness. 46 And what is it, bhikkhus, that is not yours? Form is not yours: abandon it. When you have abandoned it, that will lead to your welfare and happiness. Feeling is not yours … Perception is not yours … [34] Volitional formations are not yours … Consciousness is not yours: abandon it. When you have abandoned it, that will lead to your welfare and happiness.
“Suppose, bhikkhus, people were to carry off the grass, sticks, branches, and foliage in this Jeta’s Grove, or to burn them, or to do with them as they wish. Would you think: ‘People are carrying us off, or burning us, or doing with us as they wish’?”
“No, venerable sir. For what reason? Because, venerable sir, that is neither our self nor what belongs to our self.”
“So too, bhikkhus, form is not yours … consciousness is not yours: abandon it. When you have abandoned it, that will lead to your welfare and happiness.”
34 (2) Not Yours (2)
(This sutta is identical with the preceding one except that it omits the simile.)
35 (3) A Certain Bhikkhu (1)
At Sāvatthī. [35] Then a certain bhikkhu approached the Blessed One, paid homage to him, sat down to one side, and said to him: “Venerable sir, it would be good if the Blessed One would teach me the Dhamma in brief, so that, having heard the Dhamma from the Blessed One, I might dwell alone, withdrawn, diligent, ardent, and resolute.”
“Bhikkhu, if one has an underlying tendency towards something, then one is reckoned in terms of it.47 If one does not have an underlying tendency towards something, then one is not reckoned in terms of it.”
“Understood, Blessed One! Understood, Fortunate One!”
“In what way, bhikkhu, do you understand in detail the meaning of what was stated by me in brief?”
“If, venerable sir, one has an underlying tendency towards form, then one is reckoned in terms of it. If one has an underlying tendency towards feeling, then one is reckoned in terms of it. If one has an underlying tendency towards perception, then one is reckoned in terms of it. If one has an underlying tendency towards volitional formations, then one is reckoned in terms of them. If one has an underlying tendency towards consciousness, then one is reckoned in terms of it.
“If, venerable sir, one does not have an underlying tendency towards form, then one is not reckoned in terms of it. If one does not have an underlying tendency towards feeling … towards perception … towards volitional formations … towards consciousness, then one is not reckoned in terms of it.
“It is in such a way, venerable sir, that I understand in detail the meaning of what was stated by the Blessed One in brief.”
“Good, good, bhikkhu! It is good that you understand in detail the meaning of what was stated by me in brief. If, bhikkhu, one has an underlying tendency towards form … (as above in full) … then one is not reckoned in terms of it. It is in such a way that the meaning of what was stated by me in brief should be understood in detail.”
Then that bhikkhu, having delighted and rejoiced in the Blessed One’s statement, [36] rose from his seat, and, after paying homage to the Blessed One, keeping him on his right, he departed.
Then, dwelling alone, withdrawn, diligent, ardent, and resolute, that bhikkhu, by realizing it for himself with direct knowledge, in this very life entered and dwelt in that unsurpassed goal of the holy life for the sake of which clansmen rightly go forth from the household life into homelessness. He directly knew: “Destroyed is birth, the holy life has been lived, what had to be done has been done, there is no more for this state of being.” And that bhikkhu became one of the arahants. 48
36 (4) A Certain Bhikkhu (2)
At Sāvatthī. Then a certain bhikkhu approached the Blessed One, paid homage to him, sat down to one side, and said to him: “Venerable sir, it would be good if the Blessed One would teach me the Dhamma in brief, so that, having heard the Dhamma from the Blessed One, I might dwell alone, withdrawn, diligent, ardent, and resolute.”
“Bhikkhu, if one has an underlying tendency towards something, then one is measured in accordance with it; 49 if one is measured in accordance with something, then one is reckoned in terms of it. If one does not have an underlying tendency towards something, then one is not measured in accordance with it; if one is not measured in accordance with something, then one is not reckoned in terms of it.”
“Understood, Blessed One! Understood, Fortunate One!”
“In what way, bhikkhu, do you understand in detail the meaning of what was stated by me in brief?”
“If, venerable sir, one has an underlying tendency towards form, then one is measured in accordance with it; if one is measured in accordance with it, then one is reckoned in terms of it. If one has an underlying tendency towards feeling … towards perception … towards volitional formations … towards consciousness, then one is measured in accordance with it; if one is measured in accordance with it, then one is reckoned in terms of it.
“If, venerable sir, one does not have an underlying tendency towards form, then one is not measured in accordance with it; [37] if one is not measured in accordance with it, then one is not reckoned in terms of it. If one does not have an underlying tendency towards feeling … towards perception … towards volitional formations … towards consciousness, then one is not measured in accordance with it; if one is not measured in accordance with it, then one is not reckoned in terms of it.
“It is in such a way, venerable sir, that I understand in detail the meaning of what was stated by the Blessed One in brief.”
“Good, good, bhikkhu! It is good that you understand in detail the meaning of what was stated by me in brief. If, bhikkhu, one has an underlying tendency towards
form … (as above in full) … then one is not reckoned in terms of it. It is in such a way that the meaning of what was stated by me in brief should be understood in detail.”
Then that bhikkhu, having delighted and rejoiced in the Blessed One’s words, rose from his seat … And that bhikkhu became one of the arahants.
37 (5) Ānanda (1)
At Sāvatthī. Then the Venerable Ānanda approached the Blessed One…. The Blessed One then said to the Venerable Ānanda as he was sitting to one side:
“If, Ānanda, they were to ask you: ‘Friend Ānanda, what are the things of which an arising is discerned, a vanishing is discerned, an alteration of that which stands is discerned?’—being asked thus, how would you answer?”50 [38]
“Venerable sir, if they were to ask me this, I would answer thus: ‘Friends, with form an arising is discerned, a vanishing is discerned, an alteration of that which stands is discerned. With feeling … perception … volitional formations … consciousness an arising is discerned, a vanishing is discerned, an alteration of that which stands is discerned. These, friends, are the things of which an arising is discerned, a vanishing is discerned, an alteration of that which stands is discerned.’ Being asked thus, venerable sir, I would answer in such a way.”
“Good, good, Ānanda! With form, Ānanda, an arising is discerned, a vanishing is discerned, an alteration of that which stands is discerned. With feeling … perception … volitional formations … consciousness an arising is discerned, a vanishing is discerned, an alteration of that which stands is discerned. These, Ānanda, are the things of which an arising is discerned, a vanishing is discerned, an alteration of that which stands is discerned. Being asked thus, Ānanda, you should answer in such a way.”
38 (6) Ānanda (2)
At Sāvatthī…. The Blessed One then said to the Venerable Ānanda as he was sitting to one side:
“If, Ānanda, they were to ask you: ‘Friend Ānanda, what are the things of which an arising was discerned, a vanishing was discerned, an alteration of that which stands was discerned? What are the things of which an arising will be discerned, a vanishing will be discerned, an alteration of that which stands will be discerned? What are the things of which an arising is discerned, a vanishing is discerned, an alteration of that which stands is discerned?’—being asked thus, Ānanda, how would you answer?”
“Venerable sir, if they were to ask me this, [39] I would answer thus: ‘Friends, with form that has passed, ceased, changed, an arising was discerned, a vanishing was discerned, an alteration of that which stands was discerned. With feeling … perception … volitional formations … consciousness that has passed, ceased, changed, an arising was discerned, a vanishing was discerned, an alteration of that which stands was discerned. It is of these things, friends, that an arising was discerned, that a vanishing was discerned, that an alteration of that which stands was discerned.
“‘Friends, with form that has not been born, not become manifest, an arising will be discerned, a vanishing will be discerned, an alteration of that which stands will be discerned. With feeling … perception … volitional formations … consciousness that has not been born, not become manifest, an arising will be discerned, a vanishing will be discerned, an alteration of that which stands will be discerned. It is of these things, friends, that an arising will be discerned, that a vanishing will be discerned, that an alteration of that which stands will be discerned.
“‘Friends, with form that has been born, that has become manifest, an arising is discerned, a vanishing is discerned, an alteration of that which stands is discerned. With feeling … perception … volitional formations … consciousness that has been born, that has become manifest, an arising is discerned, a vanishing is discerned, an alteration of that which stands is discerned. It is of these things, friends, that an arising is discerned, that a vanishing is discerned, that an alteration of that which stands is discerned.’
“Being asked thus, venerable sir, I would answer in such a way.”
“Good, good, Ānanda!”
(The Buddha here repeats the entire answer of the Venerable Ānanda, concluding:) [40]
“Being asked thus, Ānanda, you should answer in such a way.”
39 (7) In Accordance with the Dhamma (1)
At Sāvatthī. “Bhikkhus, when a bhikkhu is practising in accordance with the Dhamma,51 this is what accords with the Dhamma: he should dwell engrossed in revulsion towards form, feeling, perception, volitional formations, and consciousness.52 One who dwells engrossed in revulsion towards form … and consciousness, fully understands form, feeling, perception, volitional formations, and consciousness. One who fully understands form … and consciousness is freed from form, [41] feeling, perception, volitional formations, and consciousness. He is freed from birth, aging, and death; freed from sorrow, lamentation, pain, displeasure, and despair; freed from suffering, I say.”
40 (8) In Accordance with the Dhamma (2)
At Sāvatthī. “Bhikkhus, when a bhikkhu is practising in accordance with the Dhamma, this is what accords with the Dhamma: he should dwell contemplating impermanence in form … (as above) … he is freed from suffering, I say.”
41 (9) In Accordance with the Dhamma (3)
… “he should dwell contemplating suffering in form … (as above) … he is freed from suffering, I say.”
42 (10) In Accordance with the Dhamma (4)
… “he should dwell contemplating nonself in form … (as above) … he is freed from suffering, I say.”
[42] V. WITH YOURSELVES AS AN ISLAND
43 (1) With Yourselves as an Island
At Sāvatthī. “Bhikkhus, dwell with yourselves as an island, with yourselves as a refuge, with no other refuge; with the Dhamma as an island, with the Dhamma as a refuge, with no other refuge.53 When you dwell with yourselves as an island, with yourselves as a refuge, with no other refuge; with the Dhamma as an island, with the Dhamma as a refuge, with no other refuge, the basis itself should be investigated thus:54 ‘From what are sorrow, lamentation, pain, displeasure, and despair born? How are they produced?’
“And, bhikkhus, from what are sorrow, lamentation, pain, displeasure, and despair born? How are they produced? Here, bhikkhus, the uninstructed worldling, who is not a seer of the noble ones and is unskilled and undisciplined in their Dhamma, who is not a seer of superior persons and is unskilled and undisciplined in their Dhamma, regards form as self, or self as possessing form, or form as in self, or self as in form. That form of his changes and alters. With the change and alteration of form, there arise in him sorrow, lamentation, pain, displeasure, and despair.
“He regards feeling as self … perception as self … volitional formations as self … consciousness as self, or self as possessing consciousness, or consciousness as in self, or self as in consciousness. [43] That consciousness of his changes and alters. With the change and alteration of consciousness, there arise in him sorrow, lamentation, pain, displeasure, and despair.
“But, bhikkhus, when one has understood the impermanence of form, its change, fading away, and cessation, and when one sees as it really is with correct wisdom thus: ‘In the past and also now all form is impermanent, suffering, and subject to change,’ then sorrow, lamentation, pain, displeasure, and despair are abandoned. With their abandonment, one does not become agitated. 55 Being unagitated, one dwells happily. A bhikkhu who dwells happily is said to be quenched in that respect.56
“When one has understood the impermanence of feeling … of perception … of volitional formations … of consciousness, its change, fading away, and cessation, and when one sees as it really is with correct wisdom thus: ‘In the past and also now all consciousness is impermanent, suffering, and subject to change,’ then sorrow, lamentation, pain, displeasure, and despair are abandoned. With their abandonment, one does not become agitated. Being unagitated, one dwells happily. A bhikkhu who dwells happily is said to be quenched in that respect.”
44 (2) The Way
At Sāvatthī. [
44] “Bhikkhus, I will teach you the way leading to the origination of identity and the way leading to the cessation of identity. Listen to that….
“And what, bhikkhus, is the way leading to the origination of identity? Here, bhikkhus, the uninstructed worldling … regards form as self … feeling as self … perception as self … volitional formations as self … consciousness as self … or self as in consciousness. This, bhikkhus, is called the way leading to the origination of identity. When it is said, ‘The way leading to the origination of identity,’ the meaning here is this: a way of regarding things that leads to the origination of suffering.57